Eager Anderson steps into the big time

The Commonwealth gold medallist follows in the shadow of a legend when he makes his professional debut in Manchester next weekend

IT IS more than six months since Kenny Anderson fought back to overpower his Nigerian opponent, Adura Olalehin, and win Commonwealth Games gold for Scotland. Although he initially claimed that he would take his title to Beijing and the Olympic Games, shortly after his return home Anderson decided that his journey as an amateur had reached its conclusion in Melbourne. On Saturday he takes the first step of his pro career in the shadow of the man who represents the difference between this new world and the one he left behind.

Anderson takes on Nick Okoth, a journeyman out of Battersea who has lost 10 of his 14 bouts, on the undercard of Joe Calzaghe’s world title defence against Sakio Bika in Manchester, both contests in the 168lb super-middleweight division. Calzaghe, 34, has 11 years and two world titles on Anderson. The WBO and IBF champion may not be at